


There is no such thing as ‘just’ friends

by pepi



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Friendship, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Love, Platonic Romance, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 23:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3096350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepi/pseuds/pepi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky realizes the other Avengers think he and Steve are dating. He talks to Steve about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There is no such thing as ‘just’ friends

**Author's Note:**

> Again, no beta! And English is still not my first language…

Bucky was close to purring, he was so blissed out by Steve’s hand softly stroking his neck and massaging his scalp and his fingers running through his hair. He just wanted to stay like this for ever; laying on the comfortable couch in the Avengers common living room, a blanket covering him even though it wasn’t cold and his head in Steve’s lap as the other man reads while working his magic on Bucky’s head with one hand.

That is until Tony walks in and grins at them before winking at Bucky and leaving the room again, muttering something about love-birds and giving them space. And suddenly it hits Bucky and he almost chokes on air.  
“Steve?“  
The other man must have sensed Bucky’s distress and put’s away his book, now working both his hands into Bucky’s long hair.  
“Yeah…?“  
Bucky momentarily is unable to think or speak. Steve’s hands are really amazing. But he gets himself together enough to stutter a few words.  
“Does… Does Tony think we are dating?“  
Steve’s hands stop for a second and Bucky looks up to him, seeing Steve putting on his thinking-face.  
“I think he might, yes…” Steve nods, but his hands start moving again.  
“And the others?”  
“Maybe. Probably.” Steve nods again and Bucky looks away again, starring into nothing.  
“Oh…”  
“What is it Buck?” Steve asks after a few seconds of silence and Bucky looks back up at him with confusion written on his face.  
“Are we dating?”  
“No Buck, we are not dating.” Steve shakes his head with a small smile, stroking his fingers over Bucky’s cheek. And Bucky is confused. Because Steve says no, but suddenly Bucky feels like those strokes say something differently. He still is hazy on some of the details of his past, his past with Steve. So he has to ask.  
“Did we date back when?”  
“No, we never dated.” And there still is that smile on Steve’s face and his fingers are now on his shoulders, working on the sore muscles there.  
“Okay…”  
They are silent again, Bucky lost in his thoughts. It had never occurred to him, that the way they were around each other might be more than friendly. He felt safe with Steve, he liked touching Steve and he liked being touched by Steve. They were always innocent touches; holding hands, cuddling while watching a movie or in their bed at night when nightmares would haunt one or both of them. Bucky had never thought about the possibility of Steve having other motives for those touches. Because Bucky didn’t have any other motives than simply enjoying it.  
“Bucky?” Steve’s voice pulled him back from his thoughts and Bucky had to ask:  
“I… Would you like to date me?”  
Steve’s smile fell as he shook his head. He almost looked sad. “No Bucky. I’m more than happy with what we have. Sorry…”  
Quickly Bucky interrupted Steve. “Don’t be sorry. I wouldn’t want to date your ugly mug anyway!”  
“Jerk!”  
“Punk!”  
Bucky felt a pressure he hadn’t noticed before leave him. Steve and he were okay, they would always be. But there still were some questions.  
“So, we are just friends?”  
Steve laughs at that.  
“Bucky, there is no such thing as ‘just’ friends. Yes, functioning romantic relationships are beautiful and nice, but so are platonic friendships. Friendships are not worth less than relationships.”  
Of course Steve would point out the small word ‘just’ and not answer Bucky’s real question.  
“I know Steve, that’s not what I meant. I wanted to ask: what are we then? I mean, we are not dating but we are friends who clearly like to cuddle... Do you know if there is a name for what we have, what we are?” Because since he came back from the cold Bucky had learned so many new words for thing he didn’t even knew where things. Asexuality, Pansexuality, Polyamory, Transgender… Just to name a few. It was sometimes hard for Bucky to keep up with all those terms and their meanings. But he loved to learn about them, learn about the multitude of sexuality, gender and love. So maybe there was a name for what Steve and he were…  
“A friendship. Platonic love. Cuddle-Buddies. Cuddle-Friends. We can be and have whatever you want us to be or have!”  
Bucky giggled and settled a bit more comfortable on the couch.  
“Let’s just be Bucky and Steve and have the most amazing friendship to ever friendship!"  
“Yes, Buck, let’s do that…”  
And with that silence fell again, but it was the most comfortable silence Bucky had ever experienced. And Steve’s hands on his body where as welcome as ever…

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Kudos and comments are more than welcome! :)


End file.
